Stanwich students hear Democratic principles

Democratic Town Committee Chair Jeff Ramer is introduced by senior Yona Davershi at an assembly in the Stanwich School gymnasium. Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016

Democratic Town Committee Chair Jeff Ramer is introduced by senior Yona Davershi at an assembly in the Stanwich School gymnasium. Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016

Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media

Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media

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Democratic Town Committee Chair Jeff Ramer is introduced by senior Yona Davershi at an assembly in the Stanwich School gymnasium. Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016

Democratic Town Committee Chair Jeff Ramer is introduced by senior Yona Davershi at an assembly in the Stanwich School gymnasium. Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016

Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media

Stanwich students hear Democratic principles

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GREENWICH — Most of them will be too young to vote in the upcoming election next month, but students at Stanwich School got a lesson on the two sides of the political divide from Greenwich town political leaders this month.

Ramer spelled out some of the general principles that guide the Democratic party at the national level. Following a prior agreement with Walko not to delve into the upcoming presidential election or promote individual candidates, Ramer spoke in general terms about the Democratic party and its major policy goals in a question-and-answer dialogue with students.

Ramer described the political realm as one of balances in front of a room filled with students in grades nine through 12.

“The whole scheme of government is not a question of right or wrong, or a single way of doing things. The interplay between the two major parties, it’s a process of making choices,” Ramer said.

On the tax issue, Ramer said there were many ways for the government to raise funds - but the question was which one was the most fair to all.

“The solution that you pick is a highly political thing,” he said.

Using the example of a new gas tax hike in New Jersey, Ramer said, “Who does that hit? There’s a logic to raising the tax - if you’re using the highway, you ought to pay for it. But there’s another logic to that - the poor working stiff is the person who is the least able to bear the cost of it.”

Ramer spoke on the question of college tuition and student debt that sparked debate during the Democratic primary season.

“Your parents are cowering right now at the thought of $55,000 a-year-checks they might be writing to send you to college,” he said.

“In my party, we’ve been espousing the idea that government should be stepping forward and making these things less burdensome. There ought to be alternative paths,” he continued.

On the issue of spending, Ramer said, “Electing a Democratic president…. the mantra won’t be how low can we make taxes. The mantra will be how do we meet the nation’s needs. The Democrats are likely to have more of a sense that it’s worth spending a dollar to solve a problem than a Republican.”

Ramer espoused a pro-immigrant stance, and he discussed “the path to citizenship” for illegal aliens that Democratic Congressional leaders on Capitol Hill have put forward.

On the question of Islamic extremism, Ramer said, “We want to isolate the crazies, and embrace the moderate and mainstream.”

Local topics did not arise in great detail in Ramer’s presentation.

A senior, Michelle Wakim, said the points made by Ramer provided an elementary lesson on the two political parties - though she was a particularly keen student of politics herself. “This was helpful to people who might be out of the loop,” she said.

Another senior, Shelby Crimmins, said, “I’m learning about the issues. It’s interesting to see the people who do it for a living.”

A public-speaking teacher at the school, Morgan Murphy, said the political talks had value for students.

“It’s important they’re involved in that continuing conversation,” he said, “They sometimes think it seems out of their world — politics. But they’re going into that world, and it is the real world.”